Brake for motor and other vehicle wheels and especially for steering wheels



April 15 1924. 1,490,639

. C. SCHAEFFER BRAKE FOR MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLE WHEELS AND ESPECIALLY FOR STEERING WHEELS Filed Jan. 16, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 15 1924. 1,490,639 C. SCHAEFFER BRAKE FOR MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLE WHEELS AND ESPECIALLY FOR STEERING WHEELS m Fig.6

Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

um'rsn STATES 1,490,639 PATENT OFFICE.

SCHAEFFER, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNO'R TO ANCIENS ETABLISSEMENTS PANHARD dz LEVASSOR, OF PARIS, SEINE, FRANCE.

ii EFOR MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLE 'WKEELS AND ESPECIALLY FOR s'rnmmre WHEELS.

Application filed January 16, 1923. Serial No. 613,022.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LCHARLES SCHAEFFER, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at 19 Avenue dlvry, Paris, France, have ini vented certain new and useful Improvements two caslngs 9 and in which are adapted to revolve, mounted on spindles 11, two

in Brakes for Motor and Other Vehicle Wheels and Especially for Steering Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is a brake for m motor and other vehicle wheels, and especially for steering wheels, the brake being essentially characterized bya rack or other control member the rectilinear shifting of. which in a plane passing, for instance,

through the axis of the steering knuckle,

. forces the two ends of an open segment apart and causes the latter to be applied on the whole surface of the drum through links suitably articulated for the purpose.

- w Said control device permits, furthermore,

braking to be effected whatever the setting of the wheels, when or course these are steering wheels.

lnorder to make the invention more clearly understood, there have been illustrated as examples, several embodiments thereof in and by the appended drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view, partly sectional, partly in elevation, of the improved brake applied to a steering wheel; 1

. Figure 2 is a sectional view according to line A-B of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 1 are sectional views on an enlarged scale showing the control (1L represented by rlgure 1; J

Figures 5 and 6 relate to modifications of the device illustrated in Figures 1, 2 3 and 4c; Figure 7 is a modification showing a device includmg supplementary links;

Figure 8 shows another modification of the device illustrated in Figure 1 in which the links have a single pivoting point;

Figure 9 is an end view of a double brake applied to a nonsteering wheel.

ly in elevation of Figure 9, the section being according to line C-l) of the latter figure.

In all these figures the brake is in re leased position. i

In the brake illustrated in Flgures 1, 2 and3 (steering wheel braking), an opener split segment 1 housed in drum 3, as w th ordinary brakes, is rovided at each end with a rack l and is hel in place by a support 5 Figure 10 is a view, partly sectionai,,iparthaving two branches 6 of known type, so constructed as to avoid any lateral shifting of the segment as well as friction thereof against the drum cheeks.

Support 5 is fitted at its lower part with toothed pinions 12 meshing with the racks 4. Between said pinions is arranged another rack 13, cylindrically grooved, and car ried by a rod 13 fixed to a control lever 26 and adapted to be shifted along the axis M-N of Figure 2 and thereby to rotate pinions 12 and to expand segment 1, thus braking the drum.

The shifting of rod 13', which shifting constitutes one of the essential characteristics of my invention, is obtained as follows:

The end of member 13' is provided with a double helicoidal surface or cam 14, with which is engaged a second double helicoidal surface or cam 15 of identical pitch formed on the end of a rod 16 passing through the end of the axle and secured thereto at 16. Only the rod 13 carrying rack 13, is there fore adapted to be shifted.

As will be readily understood, when lever 26 is operated, considering that member 16 is fixed on the axle, surface 14: will tend to release surface 15 and rod 13 will be shifted to a certain extent, which will of course depend upon the wear on the brake, and will rotate the pinions in opposite direction to one another, said rotation causing braking as previously explained.

, It should be noted that this device permits the steering wheels to be braked whatever their position or setting relative to the axis of the vehicle.

, lln order to avoid possible deformation of seent 1 and to ensure that the brake will wear evenly; there are provided two links 20 articulated on the one hand, at pivoting points 21 on branches 6 of suport or cross piece 5 and, on the other r it at 22 and 22', on the scent. Said pivot points 21, 22 and 22' of the links and the shape of the latter have to be so estahlished that, ho.- ever far apart its ends may be, the cut will always be concentric to the bra drum.

In the modification shown y Figure 7, l have provided two supplementary iv 23 articulated at 22 and at 24 on the scent lilltl) which add their action to that of links 20.

' incense to move thesegment ends away fromor and thus avoid any possible deformation oi? toward each other.

the part of the segment corresponding thereto.

In the embodiment illustrated by Figure 8, links 20 are of peculiar shape; they are articulated at 22 and at 22' on segment 1 and centric to the drum.

@peration of the two brakes shown in F igures 7 and 8 is identically the same as with the Figure l'brake.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a modification in which links 20 are articulated as in Figure 1 but "since this double brake is intended to be mounted on nonsteering wheels, rack 13 is omitted and control is effected directly by two concentric spindles 35 and 36 operated by two levers 26' and 26". This same mounting will of course do for a single brake.

lln the embodiments shown by the ap pended drawings the expansion of the segments is obtained by means of racks and toothed pinions controlled by a cylindrically grooved rack.

@bviously the device could be designed quite otherwise. o

In Figures 5 and 6 l have shown, always merel as an example, a modification of rack 13. ere l utilize a double rack 2'? forming a sleeve in which is housed the control rod 13".

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention as well as the manner in which the same is to be performed, what l claim as new is:

l. A wheel brake, comprising a brake drum; an exgwansilole brake mgment disposed within the drum for coaction with the wall thereof, said segment having its ends spaced apart and provided with racks; a su port within the drum connected with the brake segment to maintain it in concentric relation with said drum wall; a pair of pinions meshing with said racks; and means for rotating said pinions to move the segment ends away from or toward each other.

2]. A Wheel brake, comprising a brake drum; an expansible brake segment disposed concentrically within the drum for coaction with the wall thereof, said segment having its ends spaced apart and rovided with racks; a support within sai drum; a pair of spindles ournaIed in parallel relation in said support and extending across the racks on the scent ends; a pair of pinions on said spindles meshing with said racks; and means for rotating said spindles 3. A wheel brake, comprising a brake drum; an expansible brake segment. disposed within the drum for coaction with the wall thereof, saidsegment having its ends spaced apart and provided with racks; a support within the drum connected with the brake segment to maintain it in concentric relation with said drum wall; a pair of pinions meshing with said racks; and an endwise-movable rack member disposed between said pinions and: engaging both of them, so as to rotate them during its endwise movement and thereby 'force the segment ends away from or toward each other.

4. A wheel brake, comprising av brake,

drum; an expansible brake segment disposed within the drum for coaction with the wall thereof and having its ends spaced apart; a pair of operating devices posi' tively engaged with the segment ends to force them away from or toward each other; and an endwise-movable member interposed between the two operating devices and positively engaging both of them'to actuate them in unison during its endwise movement. I

5. A wheel brake, comprising a brake drum; an expansible brake segment dis- ,posed within the drum for coaction with the wall thereof and having its ends spaced apart; a pair of operating-devices positively engaged with the segment ends to force them away from or toward each other;

and a controller embodying two members arranged end to end and having their confronting ends provided with coacting cams to efi'ect an axial movement of one member when either member is rotated, said movablemember being interposed between and positively engaged with both operating devices to actuate them in unison during its endwise movement.

6. A wheel brake, com rising a brake drum; an Vexpansible bra e segment disposed within the drum for coaction with the wall thereof and having its ends spaced and a controller embodying a movable lower member disposed between and positively engaged with both opera-ting devices, and a relatively fixed upper member, said members having their confronting ends provided with coacting cams to shift the lower mem-. ber axially and thereby actuate said operatin devices in unison when either member is rotated.

7. A wheel brake, comprising a brake drum, an ex ansible brake segment disposed within the rum for coaction with the wall thereof and having its ends spaced apart and provided with racks; a pair of pinion:

meshing with said racks for forcing the seg ment ends away from or toward each other when the pinions are rotated; and operating means for the pinions embodying a rack member interposed betweenand meshing with said pinions, and a relatively-fixed member arranged in endwise alinement with the rack member, said members havin coacting cams on their confronting en 5 to cause an endwise movement of the rack member when one of said members is rotated. y

8. A wheel brake, comprising a brake drum; an expansible brake segment disposed within the drum for coaction with the wall thereof and having its ends spaced apart; a support within the drum having .a plurality of arms connected to said segment to maintain it in concentric relation to said drum wall; angular links disposed symmetrically to each other and pivotally connected to said support and segment to cause the latter to wear evenly a pair of operating devices positively engaged with the segment ends to force them away from or toward each other; and a controller embodying two members arranged end to end and having their confronting ends provided with coacting cams to effect an axial movement of one member when either member is rotated, said movable member being interposedbetween and positively engaged with 0th operating devices to actuate them in unison during its endwise movement.

9. A wheel brake, comprising a brake drum, an expansible brake segment disposed concentrically within the drum for 00- I action with the wall thereof, said segment having its ends spaced apart and rovided with racks; a support within sai drum; a pair of spindles ournaled in parallel rela tion in said support and extending across the racks on the segment ends; a pair of pinions on said. spindles meshing with said racks; and an endwise-movable rack member disposed between said pinions and meshing with both of them, so as to rotate them in unison during its endwise movement and thereby force the segment ends away from or toward each other. i

10. A wheel brake, comprising a brake drum; an expansible brake segment disposed concentrically within the drum for coaction with the wall thereof, said segment havingits ends spaced apart and rovided with racks; a support within sai drum; a pair of spindles ournaled in parallel relaapart and tion in said support and extending across the racks on the segment ends; a pair of pinions on said spindles meshing with said racks; and operating means for the pinions embodying a rack member interposed between andmeshing with said pinions, and a relatively-fixed member arranged in endwise alinement with the rack member, said members having coacting cams on their confrontin ends to cause an endwise movement 0 the rack member when one of said members is rotated. v

11. A wheel brake, comprising a brake drum; an expansible brake segment disposed within the drum for coaction with the wall thereof andhaving its ends spaced rovided with racks; a support within the drum having a plurality of arms connected with said segment to maintain it in concentric relation to said drum wall; angular links disposed symmetrically to each other and pivotally connected to said support and segment to cause the latter to wear evenly; a pair ofpinions meshing with said racks; and means for rotating said pinions to move the segment ends away from or toward each other.

12. A wheel brake, comprising a brake drum; a split brake ring or segment disposeed concentrically within the drum for engagement throughout its entire extent with the circumferential wall of the drum;

a device operatively related to said ring to expand the same; a support within the drum; and connecting rods pivoted at ranged as to maintain the concentric relation of said ring to said drum wall irrespective of the extent of expansion of the ring.

13. A wheel brake, according to claim 12, in which the connecting rods are angular and are pivoted at their apices to the brake ring and at the free ends of their arms to the support; substantially as described. j

14. A wheel brake, according to claim 12. in which the connecting rods are angular and are pivoted at their apices to the brake ring and at the free ends of their arms to the support, and in which the ring-expanding device comprises a rectilinearly-movable mem ber; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflixed'my signature.

CHARLES SCHAEFFER. 

